


Home Yellow

by yue_ix



Category: Hawkeye (Comics)
Genre: Dogs, Fanfiction, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Marvel Cameos, POV Animal, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-20
Updated: 2015-12-20
Packaged: 2018-05-07 19:13:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,230
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5467880
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yue_ix/pseuds/yue_ix
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Lucky comes back up, <span class="small">KATE</span>'s "<span class="small">NO</span>" carries down the stairs. <span class="small">CLINT</span> drinks his <span class="small">COFFEE</span> and ignores her. </p><p>When she says "<span class="small">DOG</span>", Lucky looks up and so does <span class="small">CLINT</span>. He points at her. She says "<span class="small">NO</span>". He points at Lucky's bowl, the huge bag of <span class="small">FOOD</span> propped in the corner, and his <span class="small">WATER</span> bowl. "<span class="small">NO</span>". <span class="small">CLINT</span> whines a long time.</p><p><span class="small">KATE</span>'s shoulders drop and she scratches Lucky's neck. She bumps her forehead gently against Lucky's. <span class="small">CLINT</span> laughs and lifts his bag.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Home Yellow

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Maverick](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Maverick/gifts).



> There are some references to characters being hurt and canon mistreatment of pets yet nothing is graphic. At one point Clint and Kate fail to provide, but they were tied up at the moment. Don't worry, Lucky rescues them.
> 
> Greatest thanks to anatsuno for the beta! <3

Lucky wakes up a cold rainy morning to a fight between his humans. Words like HELP and LEAVE and STUPID are shouted. Humans are often loud, but none of these words ever end with one of them happy. 

Lucky doesn't like it when humans are angry. HOME feels like the wrong HOME.

Outside, a car ALARM goes on and on. There is no hope for further sleep.

Lucky shakes himself awake and goes down the STAIRS to check on the other HOMES.

*

DOCTOR is locking her door, young pup in her arm. Her bigger pup is running down the corridor. They all stop to pet him as he passes by. Good humans.

*

BIKE and her mate have left for the day. 

TECHNOLOGY only wakes up at sunset, but his TV is making sounds. Lucky listens. It's not COP DOGS nor WINTER FRIENDS so he moves on.

*

The man who made food on the roof is DEAD and his HOME fell silent as he did. Once Lucky heard a noise in there but he BARKED and the noise stopped.

*

On the next floor, he pauses on MAMA's doorstep to smell the rug. MAMA got a new puppy after Lucky found CLINT. She prefers puppies to old dogs. She liked her son better when he was younger, too.

Lucky likes the new puppy. He's not sure how he feels about MAMA. But he's happy she has someone with her.

Two BROs come up the stairs and Lucky slinks away as fast and quietly as he can.

*

When Lucky comes back up, KATE's "NO" carries down the stairs. CLINT drinks his COFFEE and ignores her. There is a big bag next to him and his BOW on top.

When she says "DOG", Lucky looks up and so does CLINT. He points at her. She says "NO". He points at Lucky's bowl, the huge bag of FOOD propped in the corner, and his WATER bowl. KATE says "NO". CLINT whines several times.

Lucky tilts his head to the right. He doesn't know what they want but he knows what they'd like. KATE is upset, something angry and worried. This is common around CLINT.

Lucky pads over to sniff KATE's hand, before bumping his forehead to her hand and nuzzling it. Petting dogs brings joy to humans.

Indeed, KATE's shoulders drop and she scratches Lucky's neck. She bumps her forehead gently against Lucky's. CLINT laughs and lifts his bag.

Lucky is great.

*  
CLINT leaves. Humans always leave, but CLINT is great because he comes back. 

KATE looks out the window for a long time. Lucky stays with her, watching birds. 

*

The next day, DOCTOR knocks on KATE's door. She asks for CLINT, gestures, mentions WATER. 

KATE says “WAIT” and “MINUTE”. She closes the door, leans against it. She plays with the PHONE. No sound happens. KATE scratches at her face with both hands.

She strides back to the door, opens it wide.

“YES” and “I CAN” and “WATER”, she shouts.

DOCTOR's posture is startled but her smile is kind and her “THANK YOU” sincere.

It takes four back and forth, from HOME to DOWN STAIRS to OUTSIDE to HOME and more, carrying various items. On the last trip, Lucky opens his eye to watch a soaked KATE trot angrily into the kitchen, where she makes a lot of noise. She throws half the content onto the floor. She leaves wet footprints on her way back, holding the shiny sticky-paper roll Lucky isn't supposed to lick even though it has a magic taste. Maybe it'll comfort her.

She comes back even more WET and smelling foul but grinning in victory. Lucky gives her his paw to shake.

*

On a walk out, Lucky chases a yellow bird for several streets and into a alley. He stops at a noise that shouldn't be here. KATE runs after him, crashes into a dumpster. She cuts off her noises about "AWW" and "GARBAGE" when she notices his stance. She holds up the poop-fetcher stick she insist on using. 

"WHO - THERE?" she asks.

It's a young human girl, and underneath everything else she smells scared.

KATE makes the girl crash on the sofa, listens to her while making MAC'N'CHEESE, and then leaves with her BOW. Lucky isn't good with strangers, but he knows how to deal with people who smells sad and hurt. He lays at her feet, stays quiet while she eats and sleeps. Nozzles her when she has a BAD-DREAM. Lets himself be held when she shakes.

KATE comes back. Her head fur needs grooming and an AVENGER pack member is helping her walk. Lucky has met this other woman before. She always smells like a different person, though recurring smells are GUN, CLINT, COSTUME and of BLOOD/DEATH. Not like DOCTOR or some of the other AVENGERS does; she's the one who did the DEATH bit onto others, Lucky knows. She never hit him, and his humans like her insofar as they like other humans, so Lucky likes her. Right now she smells of FIGHT and PAPER. KATE calls her NATASHA.

NATASHA drops KATE on the couch. Lucky would leave because he's not supposed to be on the couch, but HURT-girl is holding him tightly, staring at NATASHA and KATE with wide eyes. He stays where he is and scoots until he's lying in both her lap and KATE's.

NATASHA is firm and soothing. She hands the girl stacks of big and small colored papers, leather things, a big PHONE and a smaller one. The girl uncurls from behind Lucky to take the items, presses them close to her chest. Some smell like her and some smell new. She's very happy to see them. She stands.

NATASHA leads the girl out of the HOME. “TAKE CARE” and “KATE”, she orders Lucky. Lucky thumps his tail. He can do that.

KATE points to the ceiling with one of her fingers until NATASHA leaves. Lucky looks. There is nothing there.

Lucky snuffles until he's spread all over KATE, paws on her shoulders. She must be confused. Sometimes that happens to human when their head fur is tousled and they haven't had coffee. He'll help her.

KATE grumbles and attempts to push him off, but he's not an inexperienced puppy and she's not really trying. He burrows his nose into her warm neck. Her sigh is so big it turns into a yawn. She's soon sound asleep. Lucky lays his head down and listens to her HEART.

*  
It's not all fun and games, but there's a bit of that too. 

KATE takes out the trash after she catches Lucky eating out of it. 

Lucky accidentally slips into the bath while he tries to see what she's doing in there. HOT, WATER and BUBBLES attack his face. With a YIP, he escapes and burrows his head in KATE's bag of clothes to hide and dry. 

She does LAUNDRY for those clothes and breaks the machine. 

She curls into a ball. Lucky pats her head. 

They go to the LAUNDRY-shop a few blocks away. It shines like a star on the empty dark street. He finds a ball of rolled-up socks behind one machine. He plays FETCH with KATE until she's smiling. 

*

PHONE rings. KATE picks it. “HI?”

“KATE?”

KATE leaves the phone on the counter and walks off.

“KATE! KAAAAATE. KATE?” says the PHONE, who sounds like CLINT.

Lucky pads over and jumps onto the counter to nose at the PHONE. “Rowf?” he tries.

“LUCKY!”, CLINT (?) shouts. He also says “FINE” and “YOU?” and “TELL KATE” and “ME” and “OKAY”. 

Lucky barks.

“GOOD DOG”.

Lucky lies down next to the PHONE and listens as CLINT (??) talks. After a while, KATE joins him back in the kitchen. She pours herself a bowl of cereal and eats it while listening to the PHONE. The crunches her food makes covers most of what CLINT is saying, and she mostly hums and talks with a mouthful in reply. Bits of cereal fly everywhere, which Lucky cleans with his tongue. He hears “ALMOST DIDN'T” and “HURT” and “FINE”. He hears "ONE MORE".

KATE’s face goes from sad, to angry, to determined. She slams down the phone back into the receiver and runs OUT. Lucky hears her running down the STAIRS. He finishes her bowl of cereal. 

*

KATE comes back with TECHNOLOGY. His fur is sticking out in the front and he smells of sleep and bed. He has a large flat box under his arm.

KATE is telling him about CLINT and PHONE and DON'T KNOW and PLEASE. She makes big eyes at him and doesn't know there is cereal bits on her clothes.

TECHNOLOGY asks “WHAT” and “TONY STARK” a couple of times. KATE replies with “CLINT” and “IDIOT” and “TROUBLE”.

After several exchanges, KATE showing her teeth a lot, a pile of MONEY handed over and CLINT's name a few more times, TECHNOLOGY says “YEAH, OK”.

TECHNOLOGY opens the lid of his large flat box and plays with it. Under his orders, KATE picks up the PHONE and plays with it too. The PHONE speaks to her and she repeats what it says to COMPUTER.

It takes a while. TECHNOLOGY calls in FRIENDS, two girls and another human, who all smell of SCIENCE like TECHNOLOGY and bring their own flat boxes. They sit on the sofa and on the ground, boxes perched on their knees, ropes sprawling out of them in a spiderweb to reach the walls.

KATE brings in PIZZA (!!!). She and Lucky eat it sitting in a corner.

At night they hand KATE a paper with ink. KATE is very happy to see it.

She touches hands with everyone and shows them out with THANK YOUs.

KATE runs into her room, puts things in a bag, grabs her BOW, and runs out the door.

A few seconds later, she slams back in and grabs the paper with ink TECHNOLOGY gave her. She kisses Lucky's head and runs out again. “I – BACK – CLINT.”

Lucky sits in front of the door and stares at it, tail wagging.

*

The sun comes up then down and they are not back. Lucky's bowls become empty. Lucky raises his head and BARKS every time someone enters the building's front door. HOME feels wrong. 

He drinks from the toilet and waits some more.

*

The sun is up. BIKE and her mate are leaving for the day beneath him. Lucky YIPS and WOOFS, scratches and thumps at the door.

BIKE comes up and knocks.

“ROWF! ROWF ROWF!”

The door handle turns. KATE didn't lock it.

Lucky runs out as soon as the door's open, slipping between BIKE's legs.

“CLINT”, “KATE” and “OKAY?” she says, following him down the stairs.

Lucky doesn't think they are okay, but he'll find them.

Out of the building, Lucky presses his nose to the pavement and sniffs. Three dozen smells are overlaying the street, but he manages to isolate KATE's recent trail, PIZZA and leftover TECHNOLOGY and PERFUME intertwined.

He turns left, BIKE fast on her wheels beside him.

*

The trail turns and twists around a lot. He ends in front of a tall decrepit building. It's not exactly the same mix of smells and sounds (and absence thereof) but Lucky knows people like BROs live here. BIKE looks up.

“NOW-WHAT?”

They ponder this in silence.

“CAN-I-HELP?” asks a man. He's in clean dark clothes, wears dark sunglasses, and has a long pale stick. He extends his hand to help Lucky smell him. He's a mix of FAST-FOOD and REVENGE and COSTUME, almost like AVENGERS(?). He listens instead of seeing. Lucky likes him.

BIKE is uncertain. “NO” and “HELP-YOU?”

The man smiles at Lucky, bends to scratch his ears. He mentions “YOU” and “ME” and “EYES” . His fingers find Lucky's collar, slides to his tag. He swipes the engraving with his fingers a few times. 

SUNGLASSES frowns. He rises to his feet and studies the building, head tilting. Lucky closes his eye and listens, too. 

There are BROS-NOT-BROS inside, clicking GUNS and talking about MONEY, TROUBLE and...

“HAWKEYES?” SUNGLASSES whispers, just as Lucky says “ROWF ROWF!”

SUNGLASSES talks to BIKE a little and she leaves, looking over her shoulder a lot. “COME” he tells Lucky, and walks into the building.

*

SUNGLASSES fights well and Lucky bites anyone that escapes. People and guns make a lot of noise. Lucky finds CLINT and KATE tied up in a room. They smell HURT but that's not unusual and they stagger to their feet when SUNGLASSES cuts them free.

“LUCKY! <3” they are as happy to see him as he is to see them. They can't dance for long though, because of their hurts and also because SUNGLASSES says “EXPLOSION” and now they are all jumping through broken windows.

Outside, cars honks and screech in the street as BROS-NOT-BROS also run away.

The building goes BOOM.

*

Lucky wakes up HOME, next to the sofa. KATE and CLINT are asleep on it, covered in bits of white sticky paper. COP DOGS is playing on the TV. 

Sounds are muffled but wafts of COFFEE and FAST-FOOD come from the side table. In the corner, his food bowl is full and inviting. Lucky eats and comes back, settling between his humans on the sofa. COP DOGS are saving the day.

HOME is OKAY, now.

The END.


End file.
